The Whipping Boy
by Merlinfan26
Summary: Arthur disobeys Uther so Uther orders Merlin to be whipped in front of everyone. This changes how Arthur feels about his father drastically. Set in season 2, one shot. Hurt/comfort./friendship.


**I couldn't get this idea out of my head-this'll be a one shot.**

Arthur stood nervously in front of his father, waiting for his punishment.

Uther paced and glared at Arthur while he schemed.

"Your manservant, what's his name?"

"Merlin," Arthur had said, surprised at the mention of him.

"Shall be whipped for your disobedience," Uther had decided.

Gwen had gasped and Gaius's face went pale while Morgana turned her head in disgust.

Arthur stood there and tried to absorb this information.

"Father, please, Merlin is innocent!" He protested as he glanced at Merlin helplessly. Merlin had hidden his fear of being whipped, but his face was unnaturally stoic; a mask for something else.

Uther's lips curled into a triumphant smile.

"Then perhaps next time you'll obey me. You could have gotten yourself killed today, Arthur. And I cannot have you physically hurt, as you are my heir. But you _must _be punished!"

"Please, throw me in the stocks!" Arthur begged.

It touched Merlin to see Arthur genuinely worried for his servant's safety.

"But don't take it out on my manservant...he has been nothing but loyal!"

"Good, he won't protest, then."

"But it's WRONG, father!" Arthur finally yelled at the King.

Uther's face twisted in rage.

"Enough!" He bellowed, and Arthur fell into shocked silence. "Your manservant will be whipped! End of discussion, and for your haggling he will be whipped in public. So you can add humiliation to the list of things he'll have to endure because of you. Perhaps that will make you guilty enough NOT to do it again."

Angry and shameful tears threatened to escape Arthur, but he said nothing. He didn't want to make things worse for Merlin.

"The punishment will be at noon," Uther decided. "On the execution stand so everyone can see. Guards get the post he'll be tied up to ready. Everyone is dismissed."

Instantly Morgana and Gwen went to Gaius and Merlin. Arthur did as well.

"Merlin," said Gwen tearfully. "I'm so sorry, I can't believe it-"

"Uther was cruel," Morgana agreed. "You do not deserve this."

"It's my fault," Arthur finally added helplessly. Merlin shook his head at all of them and gave them a comforting smile.

"I'll be all right, it'll be over quickly. It's not your fault, Arthur."

Arthur shook his head.

"How can you say that? If I had obeyed..."

"Many lives would have been lost," said Merlin, almost cheerfully. "Me being whipped is a small price to pay for that."

"Maybe I can give you a potion to numb the pain when it's happening," suggested Gaius. Arthur could tell the old man was feeling helpless.

"Thank you Gaius," said Merlin gratefully. "Whatever you can give me will be appreciated."

Gwen grabbed Merlin's shoulder and squeezed it. He went to leave to gather a bottle of potion.

"Merlin...I'm-" Arthur started to say, but Merlin stopped him.

"Don't," he almost scolded. "You have never apologized to me before, not going to have you start now."

Arthur looked bewildered, and felt confused.

"I don't understand, how can you be so calm? You are about to be whipped in front of everyone!"

Morgana watched with interest and so did Gwen.

"Better you than me," said Merlin with a simple shrug. Arthur just stared at him.

"For what it's worth, I would take your place if I could."

Merlin nodded.

"I know, that's why it's worth it."

* * *

An hour later Merlin was tied to a post in front of the courtyard. Every villager watched while Arthur stood on the platform with Uther, forced to watch up close.

Arthur would have done so anyway. Gwen and Gaius watched with painful expressions in the crowd while Morgana watched through the isolation of her window.

"Let this be a lesson to all," Uther said to the crowd. "Disobedience has consequences, on _everyone.._100 lashes!"

A gasp fell through the crowd.

"Sire!" Gaius protested. "A 100 is a bit extreme, don't you think?" Uther just glowered at him until he fell silent.

Arthur wasn't about to let this slide.

"Father, he could die!" He protested and Uther shrugged.

"An even better lessen. We'll get you another manservant."

"No!" Arthur went out to untie a stunned Merlin, damn the consequences, but the guards grabbed him.

"Hold him for the remainder of the whipping hour," Uther decided. "He will watch this!"

A struggling Arthur was lowered onto his knees.

"Father, please!" He begged one last time.

"Start!" Uther shouted. "And count!"

The whipping master nodded and raised his whip.

Arthur watched as Merlin cringed in anticipation.

The whip cracked down onto the skin and Arthur flinched as if he felt it himself.

Merlin didn't cry out.

"One!"

Another cracking sound, but nothing from Merlin.

"Two!"

Arthur watched, horrified and impressed with how Merlin was able to grit his teeth and deal with his pain silently

"15!" That was when Merlin flinched, and his stoic composure vanished.

Arthur cursed, feeling nothing but self loathing for his father.

"17!" He saw the blood drip from Merlin's torn shirt. He heard good and sweet Guinevere sobbing from the crowd.

He felt a tear fall and didn't wipe it away. He didn't care who saw at that moment.

He just felt anger, anger and regret.

_"Merlin I'm so sorry, mate," _he thought.

"20!" He flinched now as he heard Merlin moan, or thought he heard him.

He tried to control his breath, and his composure.

Another hiss into the air, then the crowd flinched together as the whip came down onto the bloodied skin.

"21"

The whipping master continued to count, and Arthur forced himself to watch.

"25!" That was when Merlin finally cried out, and it felt like Arthur had been whipped too.

"Please! Father!" Arthur didn't care about sounding weak. He couldn't handle it. "I've learned my lesson! Please! You're killing him!"

"Silence!" Thundered Uther. "Or I'll order 50 more, and that'll be your fault too!"

Arthur lapsed into furious silence.

His whole body was heated with quiet and dangerous rage.

He continued to watch, almost seething, as Merlin was continued to be whipped.

Finally they were at 50. When the whipping master shouted it Merlin's cry was the loudest, and most painful, one yet.

Arthur cringed and cursed again. He tried to think of ways to make things up to Merlin. Maybe a day off? Maybe Arthur would wait on him instead? Even Arthur had to snort at that thought, Merlin would never allow that. He'd be too wierded out. But a day off, maybe a week off, Merlin's earned that and ten times more.

He kept on muttering in his head how sorry he was and that he'd make it up to him.

Finally the whipping and crying stopped.

It was over.

Uther ordered the guards to untie the boy, and then Merlin fell limp onto the floor. Arthur was let go and the guards started to leave. Uther turned before he left.

"Don't ever forget this."

Arthur stared at him with cold hatred.

"I won't," he promised and hurried to Merlin.

Gaius and Gwen hurried over to the young man also.

"Merlin?" Arthur asked. Merlin just moaned and Gwen gasped as they rolled him over to his stomach, and they saw the blood caked onto his back.

Arthur grimaced and cursed.

"I need help carrying him, sire," Gaius said, almost apologetically.

"Of course," he said helped Gaius carry him to Gaius's and Merlin's home.

They laid him on Merlin's bed, and on Merlin's stomach.

Gaius used a pair of scissors to remove the rest of Merlin's torn shirt.

Merlin gasped as the cloth was removed from the skin.

"Oh m'boy," whispered Gaius regretfully. "I am_ so _sorry"

Arthur felt sick as he saw the welts that covered each other. He could barely find Merlin's back with all these wounds.

Gwen had went to get some cloths while Gaius gently rubbed lotion. Merlin moaned at the old man's touch.

"Let me," Arthur said as Gwen was about to wipe the blood away. Gwen glanced at him, surprised.

"He's bleeding because of me," Arthur said, almost gruffly. "The least I can do is clean his wounds." Gwen nodded.

Arthur sat next to Merlin's bed and draped the cloth over his back.

Merlin flinched, but didn't make a sound. His face that had been twisted in agony relaxed at Arthur's touch.

"I'll make it up to you, Merlin," Arthur promised as he continued to wash the blood gently, with a brotherly touch. "Whatever you want, I'll do it."

"Can I hit you sometimes, instead of you hitting me?" Merlin quipped suddenly, momentarily surprising everyone that he was speaking.

Arthur then rolled his eyes and huffed while Gwen and Gaius hid their smiles.

"I do _not _hit you."

"Yeah,you do."

Arthur shook his head.

"Those are GIRLISH hits, no offense Gwen,"

Gwen chuckled.

"None taken."

"Still I'd like to give you a girlish hit now and then," retorted Merlin with a smirk. Arthur shook his head, and feigned annoyance.

"Don't push your luck."

"Hey, you said ANYTHING," retorted Merlin.

"True, I was thinking more like a week off."

"Oh how generous," snorted Merlin, his energy returning.

"Merlin!" Gaius admonished, but Arthur waved his hand dismissively.

"You've got a problem with that offer?"

"If I got a week off I'd be working for Gaius instead," replied Merlin. "He'd need the extra help."

"True," Gaius admitted.

"Fine, I'll be your servant for the day."

Gwen and Gaius looked startled,and even Merlin raised his head, and eyebrow.

"Now _that's _interesting, just how guilty _do _you feel?"

"I've never felt more guilty in my entire life." Was Arthur's honest reply.

Merlin fell silent,and neither Gwen nor Gaius said a word.

"It was my fault you were whipped and humiliated like that, Merlin." Arthur could still hear the crowd laugh and jeer through Merlin's cries of pain. "And Gods am I sorry for that, Merlin."

More silence.

"It's okay, 'Rthur..."

"No, don't say that," snapped Arthur. "My father was WRONG. So wrong, and so evil-"

"Evil?" Gaius questioned.

"He's a tyrant," Arthur finally stated. It felt strange to say those words out loud. "He's a tyrant and I hate him for what he did. I will never forgive him."

"You shouldn't hold a grudge against your father," Merlin said quietly. "You might regret it."

"You're saying this AFTER he ordered you whipped?"

"He was just doing his duty-"

"The duty of a t_yrant_," spat Arthur. "I am through being his slave. I still can't believe he did that to you, a servant who is ten times more brave,and loyal, than most of my knights. He knows that too, and that scares him."

Merlin frowned.

"What are you trying to say, Arthur?"

Arthur continued to clean Merlin's backside.

"I'm trying to apologize, Merlin. I'm trying to say I mean it when I'll do anything to make it up to you. I'm trying to tell you that that was the worst moment of my life, next to my mother's death, and I never want to go through that again. Or have you go through that again. And what I'm also saying is...thank you, Merlin, for everything."

Why was he pouring his heart out like that? That wasn't him, but right now he was done with modesty.

Merlin shook his head.

"Boy, I should get whipped more often."

Nervous laughter filled the room, but Arthur shook his head.

"Do me a favor."

"You mean besides getting whipped?"

"Yes, don't do that again."

Merlin bit his lip.

"I can't decide what your father will do to me..."

"Doesn't matter, I'll protect you," Arthur promised. "I don't care what the costs are, I'll NEVER let this happen to you_ again_, Merlin. Ever."

He continued to clean off the blood. Now he could see the welts covering each other and decorating the back. He saw Merlin watch him with a new and almost confused expression.

"Thank you," Merlin finally said and Arthur nodded, feeling uneasy about all off this feelings talk.

"You're welcome."

And with that he continued to clean Merlin's wounds until dawn arrived...

**I really struggle with endings so I hope this one was okay. And I REALLY hope both Arthur and Merlin were IN character!**


End file.
